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thegreatspacerace2022-09-28 07:29 pm
space_aces) wrote in thegreatspacerace2022-09-28 07:29 pm
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TEST DRIVE MEME #1
WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD
Your journey only happened because of your benefactor, so it begets that it starts at your benefactor as well. SUPERBIA, which is as much of a location as it is an entity, is where everyone's search for Fortuna begins.
There's not much of a welcome party: shortly after their fateful encounter with SUPERBIA, in which they swore to join the quest to find Fortuna, the new Privateers will find themselves afflicted by a sudden change in perspective. See, teleportation is a tricky process, so from SUPERBIA's point of view, why not make the target destination none other than itself? One highly disconcerting moment later, and the Privateers find themselves inside the belly of the beast.
The vast mega-structure is shockingly lonely, void of anyone other than the Privateers. Those who look off the metal satellite and to The Network for intelligence (or take a skim at the Space Wikipedia article) will find out that the surrounding space is clear for lightyears; rumors have it that the place is cursed. It won't take long to understand why.
There's not much of a welcome party: shortly after their fateful encounter with SUPERBIA, in which they swore to join the quest to find Fortuna, the new Privateers will find themselves afflicted by a sudden change in perspective. See, teleportation is a tricky process, so from SUPERBIA's point of view, why not make the target destination none other than itself? One highly disconcerting moment later, and the Privateers find themselves inside the belly of the beast.
The vast mega-structure is shockingly lonely, void of anyone other than the Privateers. Those who look off the metal satellite and to The Network for intelligence (or take a skim at the Space Wikipedia article) will find out that the surrounding space is clear for lightyears; rumors have it that the place is cursed. It won't take long to understand why.
1Overclocked
The innards of SUPERBIA are that of an impossibly scaled up computer, and the Privateers start right in the middle of it. You are the spider living in the dusty PS4. Literal rivers of coolant, transistors the size of mountains, landscapes made entirely of circuitry. The sky, bounded by a distant metal ceiling, is constantly alight with coursing electricity that cracks the sky with lightning storms. It can be assumed that the Privateers are the first living things to set foot here, because such a place is not ever meant to be traversed by delicate, organic, mortals that worry about things such as "temperature" or "voltage". SUPERBIA needs not lifeforms to continue its operations; why design for them? Traversal itself is difficult: unscalable walls and perilous drops are common to encounter. The only company the Privateers will find are oddly adorable maintenance robots, which sadly seem too occupied by their directives of maintaining the massive machine to offer any assistance (or even acknowledgement of their new guests).
It is immediately clear that the most urgent priority is to get the hell out of here. Before your adventure ends at the starting line.
It is immediately clear that the most urgent priority is to get the hell out of here. Before your adventure ends at the starting line.
2Skeletons In The Closet
If one stays inside SUPERBIA, either by getting horribly lost or losing all common sense, one will notice a peculiar pattern emerge as one gets deeper into the bowels of the mega-structure. Passages shrink and become more level, and the incredible hostility and danger of the surroundings fade away, until one comes across areas which were definitely intended for humanoid organisms to use at one point.
The construction of these areas is cramped, unfurnished, and dreary; they are reminiscent of artificial environments meant to handle harsh external conditions like a submarine or bunker, but they are entirely livable. One can eventually find distinct rooms, but everything in them has crumbled to dust and their original purpose is nigh impossible to discern. Deeper investigation may reveal the few items that have stood the test of time. While it is more plausible for life to have existed here, that doesn't seem to be the case now. What happened here?
The construction of these areas is cramped, unfurnished, and dreary; they are reminiscent of artificial environments meant to handle harsh external conditions like a submarine or bunker, but they are entirely livable. One can eventually find distinct rooms, but everything in them has crumbled to dust and their original purpose is nigh impossible to discern. Deeper investigation may reveal the few items that have stood the test of time. While it is more plausible for life to have existed here, that doesn't seem to be the case now. What happened here?
3The Shipyard
In the opposite direction, when one finally reaches the outer edges of SUPERBIA, they will be rewarded with the place to pick up a spaceship and a stunningly beautiful view of outer space. The outside of SUPERBIA has no atmosphere to get between you and the stars, and they shine brightly, like a beacon calling one out into the first steps of adventure.
The shipyard is already filled with countless space ships of every size, form, and function, all autonomously constructed by SUPERBIA's factories over the countless years. What's the harm in taking one or twenty out for a spin? Even if one has no intentions of permanent ownership of the vehicle, it's not like SUPERBIA will miss it. For a Privateer with a more specific vision, however, there are kiosks around the yard which will allow one to design their very own space ship down to their exact specifications. When the process is done SUPERBIA's matter printers will have it out and space-ready right before your very eyes.
If a Privateer has a ship, vehicle, or large item that they intended to bring with them, they will also find them here, neatly parked in the Shipyard. Why didn't SUPERBIA extend this courtesy to the pilot's themselves? The answer is revealed as soon as the owner makes a closer inspection: the inner contents have been rearranged, like a whirlwind was unleashed inside and assorted loose items thrown around. Now aren't you glad your transportation was given special attention, and the same didn't happen to your innards?
The shipyard is already filled with countless space ships of every size, form, and function, all autonomously constructed by SUPERBIA's factories over the countless years. What's the harm in taking one or twenty out for a spin? Even if one has no intentions of permanent ownership of the vehicle, it's not like SUPERBIA will miss it. For a Privateer with a more specific vision, however, there are kiosks around the yard which will allow one to design their very own space ship down to their exact specifications. When the process is done SUPERBIA's matter printers will have it out and space-ready right before your very eyes.
If a Privateer has a ship, vehicle, or large item that they intended to bring with them, they will also find them here, neatly parked in the Shipyard. Why didn't SUPERBIA extend this courtesy to the pilot's themselves? The answer is revealed as soon as the owner makes a closer inspection: the inner contents have been rearranged, like a whirlwind was unleashed inside and assorted loose items thrown around. Now aren't you glad your transportation was given special attention, and the same didn't happen to your innards?
4Hot Crewmates in Your Area
But how will a single Privateer man an entire space ship? No worries: when one steps into a ship, the strangely endearing maintenance robots will suddenly take acute interest. The robots will follow inside and immediately start assuming the duties of a spacefarer, eliminating the need for extra hands on deck.
Even still, there's just no eliminating the want for a human touch, though. Thankfully even that dilemma has a contingency plotted by SUPERBIA.
Communication devices are easily available on every space ship. They come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from huge stationary consoles to portable smartphone-like screens. But whenever a Privateer attempts to access the Network, a pop-up will appear, obscuring the whole screen.
The device will be rendered unusable until one relents to the pop-up's demands and provides answers to its questions. What will these be used for? The mystery will be solved when a social media app mysteriously installs itself on the same device, with profiles preemptively made for every Privateer. Each Privateer's profile consists of their given answers, paired with embarrassingly candid photographs. SUPERBIA has eyes in many places it seems.
Even still, there's just no eliminating the want for a human touch, though. Thankfully even that dilemma has a contingency plotted by SUPERBIA.
Communication devices are easily available on every space ship. They come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from huge stationary consoles to portable smartphone-like screens. But whenever a Privateer attempts to access the Network, a pop-up will appear, obscuring the whole screen.
The device will be rendered unusable until one relents to the pop-up's demands and provides answers to its questions. What will these be used for? The mystery will be solved when a social media app mysteriously installs itself on the same device, with profiles preemptively made for every Privateer. Each Privateer's profile consists of their given answers, paired with embarrassingly candid photographs. SUPERBIA has eyes in many places it seems.
no subject
Is that an ordinary requirement?
no subject
Probably so that people lookin' to build crews could find people that they thought would be useful.
Or it's for SUPERBIA's database in some function.
no subject
Good luck to you. I appreciate the indulgence of my mental wanderings.
no subject
I think I'd have to say good luck to the rest of you, really.
But we'll see what happens, right?
no subject
[But appearances can be deceiving.]
Are you so confident because of your spacefaring experience? What will you do if you find Fortuna? I would like to not be in range if it's something destructive.
no subject
Who knows what you might be able to pull out. I guess I'm kind of a prime example that you shouldn't underestimate the under dog.
I have friends, here. We're all spacers.
And we have three gundams.
When it comes to Fortuna.... we're on a split vote, between the four of us, on that front.
no subject
[Linhardt knows well what his advantages are. What he doesn't know very well is the lay of the...well, not 'land' exactly. The lay of the space.]
It is quite an advantage to have other spacefarers working with you already.
Hopefully you do not find Fortuna before you come to an agreement, or that will be a problem of its own. I suppose that is a benefit to being the only one here from my world.
[Or so Linhardt assumes. Who else from Fodlan would go for this? It was insanity.]
Does the one of you without a mobile suit have a larger ship?
[Four of them, but only three gundams.]
no subject
We've been through a war together - this little treasure hunt won't be anything stressful.
Then I guess Wufei will have to fight me and Quatre will probably try to mediate. If Yuy doesn't gut punch me into a nap, first.
No, but we'll just confiscate one that doesn't have a crew. One of our friends is apparently from further along the timeline and his Gundam is a heap of parts instead of a useable mobile suit.
no subject
[The more lives Linhardt saves, the fewer the number of people in the army who feel comfortable scolding him.]
Is your friend's mobile suit fixable, at least? The suits are marvels, it would be a shame for it to stay in disrepair.
What do you mean by 'further in the timeline'?
no subject
The whole thing is kind of an inside joke but he did do that to me once “for my own good.”
It isn’t and he wants it that way. It also isn’t here unlike our gundams.
Well. From what we’ve gathered he’s from our future, possibly. Not 100% sure at this point but I’m trying not to think about it too hard.
no subject
[It's never 'sorry, Linhardt, you have to eat this sorbet for your own good'. Linhardt's heart feels a tug at hearing of the mobile suit's fate, though it's abated slightly by knowing that the gundam isn't there.]
Really? That's fascinating. What about the other 3 of you? Are you all from precisely the same time? Or does it vary slightly?
That opens up substantial possibilities...
no subject
He has his way of things… that’s for sure.
We haven’t really had the time to triangulate all of that. I’m sure we will eventually but right now it’s mainly system checks on the gundams and getting our shit together.
no subject
[Or perhaps the lump in Linhardt's throat when he's reminded of Caspar means he's projecting. It is hard to tell. Emotions are too subjective.]
That is disappointing but understandable. If you find that you do have time in the future, would you share your findings? You are the first person I've spoken to from a world with multiple candidates.
[Hopefully there are others. A single world - a single data point - is not good enough.]
At least I am not the only one with my shit too scattered. It is comforting to know that even those familiar with our mission must prepare.
no subject
I would say so. Dunno about him, to be fair.
Sure, why not. I don't know if we'll have a minute to get that straight for a little bit, though, so you may have to remind me. I also anticipate it's gonna start a fight when we finally have that talk, so, y'know.
I mean, I only had a few weeks worth of training before they dropped me to Earth for a covert mission with a giant robot. This stuff? Couple of days.